The iconic BT Tower in central London will become a luxury hotel. The owner of the tower, BT Group, is selling the 177-meter-high tower to the US hotel operator MCR for a whopping 275 million pounds.
BT Manager Brent Mathews commented, "This deal with MCR will enable the BT Tower to take on a new role and preserve this iconic building for decades to come."
MCR Hotels is the third-largest hotel operator in the United States and has a reputation for converting iconic buildings into hotels. One of their most notable projects was the conversion of the Eero Saarinen-designed TWA Terminal at New York's JFK Airport. It was recently announced that they would collaborate with London-based Heatherwick Studio on the BT Tower project.
London is experiencing a surge in five-star hotels, including the refurbishment of Claridges at the cost of millions of pounds, along with the opening of Peninsula London and Raffles London at The OWO last year. As a hotel, the BT Tower will be in direct competition with other luxury hotels in the area, such as the Shangri-La at The Shard, currently the tallest building in London.
The BT Tower is a landmark in London that symbolizes the city's revival in the 1960s after being ravaged by war. It was the tallest building in the city for 16 years and boasts a rotating restaurant on the 34th floor. However, its height was surpassed in 1980 by a skyscraper in the financial district of the City of London.
The tower was built in 1965, opened by Prime Minister Harold Wilson, and played a central role in communications. However, its importance in this regard has diminished over time, and its antennas were removed over a decade ago when they were no longer required to connect London to the rest of the country.
Initially known as the Post Office Tower, it was renamed after the privatization of British Telecom in 1984. The tower was closed to the public following a bomb explosion in 1971, which was allegedly planted by a far-left anarchist collective.
In recent years, the BT Tower has become famous for its 360-degree LED display that broadcasts news related to significant events such as royal births and sporting victories.